Resurgence
by helenbenj
Summary: This is the story of how I would like to see the relationship between Luke and Rey unfold. I have been very moved by the tragedy of their separation and possible links. My story finishes at the end of Chapter 7 - as I intended: just to explore the two of them getting to know each other. Please enjoy. See you all in December 2017 at a cinema somewhere. The Force be with you x
1. Ruination

**Ruination**

 **Luke Skywalker's peace is broken by a sense of painful loss. He realises that death has taken his best friend. He also senses someone powerful approaching to end his long solitude on an island of the ocean planet, Ahch-To. Awaiting the mysterious arrival, he re-lives the events of fifteen years before when his nephew, Ben Solo, succumbed to the Dark Side, destroyed Luke's Jedi Academy and ripped apart his family and his life.**

 **Lost in his memories, Luke tries to prepare himself for the coming encounter.**

This morning's bright sunshine had faded, turning the sea and sky as grey and bleak as the Jedi Master's thoughts. Last night's dreams had been filled with dark feelings of loss, betrayal, pain and falling… Waking with a jolt, a realisation hit him. Han? He reached out for his friend and felt nothing. Wide awake now, he extended every strand of his sluggish powers, but there was no sense of Han. That warm, prickly presence he'd lived with, since he was barely a man, was gone.

Luke sat up in the dark, a choking lump in his chest, feeling his friend's pain. Restless and grief-stricken, he rose before the sun. The galaxy had lost someone irreplaceable. Struggling with his feelings, he got dressed, managing it today with particular care. He put on his full Jedi regalia and least tattered cloak, sensing that after so many years alone on this craggy island, somebody was coming.

He gazed out at the ocean, as he had so many times over thousands of days. Images and words from the past haunted him. He had tried again and again to rid himself of regrets. What was done was done, but still he found memories repeating endlessly behind his eyes...

"Daddy! I been in the cockpit!" The little bundle of energy that was Rachel raced into the outstretched arms of her laughing father.

"Oh, have you now? With Uncle Han and Chewie? I bet Mommy and Aunt Leia weren't around. I'm right, aren't I? Am I right?" Luke smiled into her ear as he picked her up. Little Rachel cackled.

"Yeah, well. They came and found us, kid. You might know." Han gave a dramatic eye-roll and glared over his shoulder at Chewbacca. "This great, useless fuzz-ball didn't keep a lookout like he was supposed to," he finished in disgust. Chewie whined mournfully.

"When are you going to stop calling me _kid_?" Luke protested, not for the first time. "I'm the last of the Jedi. How about finally showing me some respect!"

Han punched him on the shoulder. "Oh yeah? Don't go getting delusional, Jedi Master! You'll always be a kid to me."

The two old friends took the little girl, each of her tiny hands clasped warmly in one of theirs. It was a gorgeous spring day. Fruit tree petals were falling softly around them. They picked their way slowly across the daisy-dappled lawn to the Jedi Academy, chatting and swinging Rachel back and forth between them.

"How's Owen been doing?" Han asked casually. Luke smiled, suddenly shedding years and looking every bit a kid again. "He's great! Nothing like I was. He's patient, studious, intuitive. He takes the training seriously but he knows when to laugh, you know? Puts the older apprentices to shame. He's good." Luke shrugged his shoulders modestly. "A fast learner, but he doesn't get cocky with it. He likes to help the others."

"You and Sami must be proud. He's a great kid. He'll make a fine Jedi," Han smiled wistfully. Luke looked sidelong at his friend, surprised at the compliment. He examined Han's thoughtful expression. The conversation lulled for a few moments, each lost in his own thoughts.

"When are you going to start training Rachel?" Han asked.

"I don't know," Luke replied. "The Force is _really_ strong in her. I should begin soon; she needs to learn how to sense and control right from the start. She's so young, though." He smiled adoringly down at his daughter.

Han cleared his throat. "Luke," he said, "can I ask about Ben?" Luke shot him a quick look, uncertain how to respond. It was rare that Han used his real name instead of calling him _kid_.

"What do you want to know?" Luke asked.

Han sighed and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Leia… Leia and me. We're worried about him." He let go of Rachel for a moment and ran his hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. "He's become distant. Cold. He feels like a stranger to us. I know he's always been moody and I know he's at _that_ age, but it feels like _more_ than teenage angst. Especially to Leia, and she feels things more than I do. We don't know what's going on in his head. Now, he says he wants to change his name!"

"He did mention that to me a while back," Luke sighed. " _Kylo_. Why, Han? Did he say? You're right - I just can't seem to connect with him these days. We used to be close. Even when he had his dark moods, he would open up a little. He doesn't talk to me anymore."

"I know, I know. All he talks about is your father! He even snapped at Rachel yesterday and he's always been soft on her. The way he looked at her scared me. He's angry and secretive. He's got some pals but they're not from the Academy. He spends a lot of time out now, cruising around with these boys." Han looked Luke in the eyes, his expression anxious. "He has Darkness in him, Luke. Leia thinks we should send him to stay with Lando. Forget the training for a while. Fly some ships maybe. Just be a kid." Han had never been one to talk openly about his worries. Luke was flattered to be consulted but he was disturbed at his friend's honesty and felt torn between diplomacy and sharing his own serious concerns.

"It could be good for him," Luke agreed. "He's a great young man. Ambitious, insightful. I think he gets a little jealous. Owen's so strong and some of the younger kids are really good. Little Rachel's still small but her raw power is obvious. He always wants to be the strongest but he can't seem to look for that strength within himself."

"Kid, you're trying to be kind, but you know these traits that he has are bad. Wrong! They lead to the Dark Side." Han said.

"Yeah, Han, but I'm not just being kind. I love Ben - you know I do. He's got so much good in him too. The Force is always in balance. I was angry and impatient. I wanted to _kill_ Vader. Yoda despaired of me – thought I'd never make a Jedi. I will talk to Ben tomorrow. He'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

Luke wished he felt as confident as he sounded. He was deeply worried about Ben and not at all sure how to help him. It had been many years since he'd been visited by his Jedi Master spirits. Perhaps they thought he was old and wise enough to handle anything now, so left him alone, but he wished for some guidance from Obi-Wan or Yoda. He really didn't know what to do to help his nephew.

Ben went to stay with Han's old pal, Lando, for a few months. He wasn't happy about leaving his friends and his studies, but Luke had talked to him lightly about needing time off and cultivating varied interests. The young man had reluctantly agreed.

The Skywalker children continued to thrive. It had taken a long time, but Luke had finally stopped berating himself over his marriage. It had always felt right. He was doing good things and Sami was such a kindred spirit. She believed in the force and in his vision for rebuilding the Jedi. She was amazing with the young apprentices and they adored her. She was Luke's best friend and the most beautiful woman he'd ever known – apart from Leia! He had fallen in love sixteen years before, with dark-haired, generous, incisive Sami, whose Grandfather had been on the Jedi Council with Yoda and Qui-Gon. As the only Jedi left, Luke felt that the old rules and doctrines could be relaxed in the present situation of the Jedi's near extinction. What did it really matter if he was celibate or not? What mattered most was that the Force was growing and working for good in the galaxy. He didn't see what his private life had to do with that. Sami supported his work devotedly and, in time, they were blessed with two wonderful children – both strong with the Force. Owen and Rachel were Luke's and Sami's pride and joy. He knew that the new Jedi needed him, but he felt that the new Jedi needed new blood too. He revelled in his many roles: husband, brother, father, teacher, mentor, friend.

Then came the night of the great tragedy. The end of everything Luke had loved - everything he had worked so long and hard for. The end of his happiness and of all his most cherished hopes. He'd been attending to a petty chore at home, with R2-D2 faithfully dogging his steps and making Luke laugh with his tart comments. He'd left the Academy for a short time, with Ben and some of the older apprentices in charge, coaching the younger ones. The Autumn night was falling early. Sami had taken Rachel with her to the Academy to finish up and see the students safely home. Luke felt a wrenching shudder in the Force. Fear gave him speed and he ran through the streets, his dread building with every second, Artoo racing after him. Around the last corner, he'd frozen in shock at the sight before him - the Academy burning to the ground and his young apprentices lying dead on the ground.

Despair ravaged him and he fell to his knees. There, just a few feet away, lay Owen. Dear, sweet Owen with his eyes open, staring up at the dark sky. At his side lay his best friend, with Sami laid over them both. All three were dead. Sami had died in vain, apparently trying to shield the boys with her body. Luke looked around wildly through the falling rain and saw figures on the other side of the burning building, cloaked and hooded. A crowd of them, all similarly dressed, laughing. They carried crudely made lightsabres, fizzing with ungoverned energy. Luke howled his rage and grief as he stumbled to his feet and weaved towards the sinister group.

"What have you done?!" He screamed. His attention was ripped from the group by a high-pitched cry and he saw a tall figure coming towards him, cloaked and masked, sabre in one hand and the other hand dragging his little Rachel along. Luke froze in terror. "Stop. Please. Don't hurt her."

"Daddy! Ben hurt me!" whimpered the little girl.

"Ben? Rachel… Ben? Where?" Luke croaked, looking around in confusion. The tall, thin figure removed its metal mask and Luke saw the face of his nephew, twisted with hate.

"Your Academy is finished, _uncle!"_ He sneered. "Did you really think _you_ could rebuild the Jedi Order? A puny old man with limited powers who has broken the Jedi code?" Luke was speechless with anguish. Rachel squirmed in Ben's grip.

"I know," Luke responded, trying to think fast. "It was foolish of me. I'm not strong enough, Ben."

"MY NAME IS KYLO!" his nephew raged.

"Kylo. Please. Sami and Owen…" Luke's voice cracked. "Please let Rachel go. She loves you. She's just a baby. Please, Ben."

"Kylo," the monster replied in an icy voice.

"Please, Kylo," begged Luke.

"I will take her," gloated Kylo. "She's strong. I will train her _my_ way!" Suddenly, a blaster fired from over Luke's shoulder and hit one of the hooded figures in the arm. Kylo pushed Rachel towards one of his group and then turned on Luke, brandishing his sabre. The blaster fired again, at Kylo this time. He raised his hand, palm outwards, and the blaster's beam of energy froze in mid-air.

"Ben?" Came Han's voice. "Ben! What are you doing? Let Rachel go!"

Kylo turned his head at the sound of Han's voice. "Father," he murmured. "I have a fancy to keep her as a pet." He smiled horribly. There was no light or life in his eyes.

"No!" Luke drew his lightsabre and flew at Kylo. Their sabres met in an explosion of energy. Luke's desperation fuelled his attack which was all fire, rage and instinct. His mastery shone as he easily parried and thrust against Ben's strokes. The sabres clashed again and again, green against red. Kylo was obviously the weaker fighter: defending against the fury and skill of his uncle, until one of his evil group dashed in behind Luke and stabbed the Jedi Master in the leg. Luke crashed to the ground and Kylo raised his sabre for a killing stroke.

Then, an agonised voice cried, "Ben! No!"

Kylo looked up and saw his mother approaching, hands held out in front of her in a placating gesture. "Son!" Leia called. "Stop this. You are hurting people… people who love you. This is madness! It will only lead to the Dark Side!"

Ben Solo laughed; long, loud and soullessly, to the horror of his watching family. When he could contain his amusement, he smiled and said: "Lead to the Dark Side? Lead to it? I've been on the Dark Side all my life! You fools; you think you _love_ me. You have no idea who I am!" His voice shook with emotion. "You _wanted_ me to be a good little Jedi like my Uncle Luke. What about what _I_ want?! You know nothing! You are all idiots!"

Kylo's henchmen moved in and held each survivor hostage as Kylo grabbed Rachel roughly and marched her to an awaiting cruiser. Luke, Leia and Han looked on helplessly as the hooded figures then dashed after their leader onto the ship. The engines bathed the destruction, the faces, eyes and tears of the watchers in a soft blue glow.

"Rachel," whispered Luke.

In the lonely years since, he had failed to erase from his mind the horror and grief of the carnage Ben Solo had caused. Today, he stood desolately on the cliff-top, wondering once again if he should have stayed with what was left of his family.

"Your leg will be fine but it will need some care for a few days. Where are you thinking of going?" Leah asked.

"You can't just leave! Come on, Luke. You've never run away from anything. You will heal. We'll be ok. We'll find Rachel." Han said; there were tones of desperation and false positivity in his voice.

"No." Luke spoke quietly. "She's gone. He'll turn her or kill her when he gets bored."

"Don't say that, Luke!" murmured Leia. "He's not all Dark! I can feel his confusion."

"You have to stay," Han urged him, pacing restlessly. "Ben needs your help. You can bring him back. We have to do something!"

"I can't help him," Luke replied. "After what he's done? It's too late. He is lost to the Dark."

"We've got to find him," Leia reasoned. "He won't hurt Rachel – he loves her. He will give her back to us. I know he will."

"You find him!" Luke looked up at them with wild eyes. "Find my little girl. Your son has wiped out my family! I am done with this. Finished with trying to do right. What has the Force done for me? Where am I now?"

Han and Leia watched Luke unravel, burning with his pain and anger. Who was to blame? All of them or none of them? Luke felt the full impact of responsibility. _He_ had been Ben's mentor, and had watched him growing darker day by day and been unable to find a way to help him.

Crippled with grief, he took a cruiser the next day. He tenderly carried the bodies of Owen and Sami on board, one at a time. "I will take a little time to look for answers and think things through," he said to Han and Leia. "There are legends of the First Jedi Temple. I think I can find it. Maybe I will find something to help." His eyes were distant.

"We will find Ben," Han promised him. "Come back soon. We will get Rachel back and keep her safe with us."

"I'm sorry," Luke whispered.

"No! Don't…" Leia choked. "Take some time, but not too long. We will get her back. Just remember that we love you and need you and _she_ will need you."

Eventually, he had found a little peace on his island with the wind and the waves. He'd buried Sami and Owen up on the cliff-top with the best view, so that he could talk to them while the elements soothed him. He knew he couldn't stay there forever. He wanted to return but he was afraid to, in case they had not found Rachel. Or Ben had killed her. Or maybe they _had_ found her but she would hate him for not protecting her and her Mommy and Owen.

Then one day, when he found the courage to try a test run, he discovered that the ship's power converters had malfunctioned. Without Artoo's help, he couldn't fix his ship. Finally, after much agonizing, he traded the ship with the poor islanders across the bay. They broke it up, sold it for scrap and would now prosper for decades. He was happy for them. In return, they promised to bring him food and supplies for as long as he stayed. Not that he had a choice of whether to stay or leave any more.

So, today had finally arrived. Someone was drawing near. Luke had heard the hum of a ship's engine touching down. That was a sound he hadn't heard for a very long time, and yet he wondered at how strangely familiar it was. He sensed great power in the approaching figure. _Ben,_ __he thought. _Stronger now with the Dark Side. He's come to finish it. The end of the Jedi. There will be no balance in the Force once I am gone._

He found himself struggling to care about his fate. He'd been alone for so long – anything that would end his crippling loneliness and self-punishment was welcome. Overwhelmed by defeat, he realised that death held no fear for him anymore. All that mattered to him now was: would Obi-Wan and Yoda forgive his failure? And would Rachel find understanding and forgiveness for his weakness? Clever, beautiful, determined little Rachel. He hoped Han and Leia had found her, kept her safe and made her happy. Explained to her what had gone wrong. He wondered what she looked like now that she was all grown up. It was too late to wish he'd been there for her. Now, she would never get to know her father. She would never fulfil her potential. She would never learn the ways of the Force... unless the unthinkable had happened and Ben had turned her. He pushed that thought aside, fighting back despair. He wondered if she even remembered him, or her beautiful mother, or her talented big brother.

His visitor was here now, close behind him. He took a long, last look at the grasping waves and swooping sea birds, hundreds of feet below him, and whispered a thought to Han; to Sami and Owen, lying long and cold in the rocky ground at his feet. _I am coming,_ he thought. Then, breathing deeply, trying to calm his mind and emotions, Luke Skywalker, last of the Jedi, turned slowly around to face his destiny.


	2. Genesis

**Genesis**

 **The Jedi Master and former scavenger from Jakku are drawn to each other. He recognises her immediately and is hesitant about speaking of the past. She is sensing vague ideas of his importance to her. Shyly, they begin to interact and to find out more about each other.**

Trancelike, the two of them stood motionless for uncounted moments as the gulls screamed and the distant sound of the surf washed around them. Rey's face communicated her entreaty; her need for Luke Skywalker to acknowledge the offering she held out. To her, the lightsabre symbolised so many things: her wish for answers and guidance, her desire to bring this man back from his exile and her friends' need for help in redressing the balance of Light and Dark.

Finally, the Jedi Master took a slow step towards her. Hesitantly. Then another. She walked towards him; one step. Two. Their eyes were locked and neither could look away as the space between them closed.

His gaze… so sad. So tender. Looking at her as if she was a vision that he feared might evaporate, vanishing into the sea breeze and leaving him alone again. He broke eye contact briefly to look down at the proffered lightsabre, and reached out his metallic hand. She gave the sabre to him with reverence. Then he looked up and met her eyes again. His left hand rose to brush the back of his cool, curled fingers down her cheek with the lightest of caresses as he reached to her, oh so carefully, with his mind.

 _Rachel…_

This one-word statement echoed in her head. That name transmitted to her an ocean of longing. For a moment, his spirit opened and breathed to her his incredulity, awakening hope and fathomless love. Her heart pounded. She responded warmly, sensing his turmoil. _Rachel?_ Rey. He knew her. How? She searched his face and then looked around her at the rugged, windswept grandeur of his island retreat. She'd felt its familiarity on her long climb up the steps. The island from her dreams. Maz had told her to look forward for her family, not back. Was this place exactly where she needed to look? Her legs began to tremble and she found she was afraid to breathe. Who was this man to her? She looked at him more discerningly. He was dishevelled, unkempt. Yet there was a quiet dignity about him. He emanated a blend of stilled tension mixed with profound sadness.

Luke took her hand, opening up her fingers, and gave the lightsabre back into her possession. Self-consciously, he cleared his throat. "You should keep this," he said earnestly, his seldom-used voice husky. "I've got my own."

She watched him intently; afraid of rejection. She'd come a long way to find the last Jedi Master and so much depended on him. "Can we talk?" She asked.

"I think we need to," he replied.

He led her down the path, back towards the strange, dry-stone buildings she'd passed on her climb. Most appeared ruined and empty, but one had a door. Luke opened this to allow Rey to enter. They both ducked through the low entrance. Inside, he hung up his cloak and busied himself heating water to make them a drink. Now, after their intense interaction on the clifftop, it seemed that they were both shy of making eye contact again, or of speaking. She settled on a seating ledge to one side of the dwelling, her eyes growing slowly accustomed to the dimness. Then she noticed, with a small intake of breath, the hundreds – no, thousands of tally marks covering the walls. They were uniform in size, set out in regular groups.

As if sensing her surprise, Luke paused a moment to give Rey his full attention. She looked up at him in amazement. "How long?" She asked.

"A long time," he replied. She could see each lonely hour of every lonely day carved into the lines of sorrow around his eyes. Loneliness was clearly an intimate of them both.

"I used to count the days too," she told him. "Five thousand, three hundred and sixty four."

He looked at her thoughtfully and seemed about to speak, but then he turned away to pour out their drinks. Passing one to her, his hand shook slightly and spilled a few drops. He looked embarrassed as he sat down opposite and then proceeded to watch her in silence, his left hand closed into a fist and pressed against his whiskered lips.

"Where were you counting days?" He finally asked. She thought what an oddly phrased question it was. Why hadn't he asked where she came from or why she'd been counting days?

"Jakku," she replied. His face registered recognition.

"Why were you…" he began, then thought about his question again: "Who did you live with?" He questioned.

"No-one. I was alone." She answered. His shadowed features took on a haunted look but he remained silent, so she spoke again. "I scavenged parts from the wreckages of ships from the war and traded them for food from a junk dealer."

The bare facts of her statement lay between them for a few moments. She lost herself in considering how drastically her life had changed in the last few weeks. When she looked back at him, he was holding his head in his hands.

"Master Skywalker?" Rey enquired. She understood that here was a man whose demons were busily tormenting him. She wasn't sure why her words should have had such an effect on him, or whether he'd heard her at all. When he finally looked up at her again through his fingers, half of them weathered flesh, the other half jointed metal, she could see that he was firmly enmeshed in a personal struggle. Rey was torn too, between her compassion for him and her own very real need to discover whether he would be able to help her. Reluctant to say anything to cause him more distress, she simply said again, "Master?"

He breathed steadily in and out again, then dropped his hands. This time there was confusion in his face. He quietly asked: "Did Han and Leia find you?"

She felt her eyes sting and her throat close, thinking of the old smuggler. "Well, I suppose Han found me by accident. I liked him. He was gruff but… he asked me to be his second mate. I was good with the Falcon!" Rey saw a flicker of warmth cross Luke's features.

"When did this happen?" He asked.

"A week or so ago," came the reply. He looked even more confused.

"Did he know you? Your name?" Luke quizzed.

"No, how could he? I told him I'm called Rey," she responded. "That's what I've always called myself. It's short for Rachel?" He nodded.

"You saw Leia," he said. A statement, not a question. How much could he read from her?

"Yes. There's something about her. She… she hugged me. The first time we met." Rey had felt something between her and Leia and she had appreciated that physical contact after a life so empty of love and companionship. Tears spilled from her eyes, making her feel foolish in front of this great man with his penetrating gaze. She found herself blurting out: "I don't… I don't understand what's happening. I had visions when I first touched your lightsabre. I feel like there's some connection but I don't know what it is."

Luke was thinking hard. She didn't know who she was. No-one had told her. Han might not have recognised his niece, but Leia would have sensed who Rey was for certain. Luke gave her a long, searching look before making a decision, and saying to her: "The Force is strong in my family," his words came quietly but with immense gravity. "My father had it. I have it. My sister has it. You have that power too."

She stared at him, holding her breath, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "Do you know who I am?" She asked. Her question hung in the air like fine crystal and they were both afraid that the wrong word, the wrong answer, would smash Rey's fragile hope beyond repair.

"Yes," he whispered, "but I'm afraid to tell you. Afraid of what you will think."

"I have to know!" she spoke urgently. "I can handle it. Please, tell me the truth."

"Do you feel it, Rachel?" He murmured, his eyes full of love, hers full of need. This time she made the first move, getting to her feet and walking cautiously across the room to meet him halfway.

"Tell me," she asked again. "I've waited for so long. Please," her voice shook.

"Your name is Rachel Leia Skywalker," he spoke, barely more than a breath. "You haven't changed since I last saw you, fifteen years ago. You are more beautiful, and far stronger, than I could ever have dreamed."

"Skywalker?" She whispered.

"Yes. I am… your father." He said softly.

She stepped forward into his warmth, completely undone by his words, even though she realised she had known it before he'd said it. She'd just needed to hear it. He wrapped her gently in his arms, cradling her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time - neither wanting to break the spell of this moment that they had both yearned for. She grasped fistfuls of his salty, faded robes, weeping like the little girl she had been when their lives were torn apart.

He was happy to hold her for as long as they both needed. He felt her wracking sobs and didn't try to hold back his own tears. Her hair was soft, dark and fragrant - so painfully like Sami's. Although at the moment, all they felt was release and joy, he knew that there was pain to come as they explored each other's lives and stories. But for now, just standing here in his draughty hut, holding the daughter he had truly believed he would never see again in this life, feeling the first stirrings of hope that he had felt in many long years, he was content to hold on to this precious moment for as long as it could last, before time moved on and made it a memory.


	3. Progress

**Progress**

 **Now that their relationship is revealed, Luke and Rey take their time getting to know each other.**

When they finally felt the first overwhelming surge of emotion ebbing, Luke led his daughter to the warmest seat, nearest the hearth. It was a time for quietly drinking in each other's presence. They said little for a while, just sitting close and sipping their tea. Occasionally, one looked curiously into the face of the other to try to measure mood and stability. Although there was a world of unknowns between them, they were both beyond happy to share this space and these minutes, taking their time to explore and discover what it meant to be together again and what they might be to each other in the future.

They were uncertain of so much, but neither seemed in a hurry to go delving through their separate pasts. The joy they felt just then was too priceless to spoil with mundane or, worse, painful revelations. Luke's biggest worry was how Rey would react to learning of his failure to keep Ben from the Dark, and the resulting massacre of innocent people, including her mother and brother. He was in no rush to reveal this information to her. Unlike her, he'd had 15 years to come to terms with his loss and he had his memories to treasure. She would have none of this grace.

Courageous as ever, Rey initiated a conversation. "You weren't expecting me, were you?"

"No. I knew someone was coming, but I've become disillusioned. I've neglected the Force for some time. I should have known it was you," he admitted, "though you feel so different: so powerful, now."

"All this time, I waited for my family," she said, "but Maz was right. In the end, I had to leave Jakku to come and find you." She sipped her drink, wanting to ask why he had stayed here for so long and not come to get her, but he had such a look of remorse on his face. It wasn't the right time. They were too new to each other. His mind had drifted, so she tried again to draw him out. "You looked so sad, up there. What were you thinking?" She watched him frame his reply, wondering what he might look like when he smiled.

"I was thinking about you. And about Han. I felt his death." He replied, knowing he must be as honest as he could.

She reached for his hand and squeezed it in shared sympathy. He gave her a look of appreciation. "Were you close?" She asked.

"Very, even though we were so different."

A sudden realisation made Rey jump to her feet in horror, hand to her mouth. "Kylo is my cousin!" Luke watched in concern as she began to pace around the small room. "He – it was him! He killed his own father!" She whirled on Luke in distress. "How could he? What is it that the Dark Side does to you?"

Her words sank in heavily and his heart lurched at her news that Han had been killed by Ben. He took a minute to try to process this knowledge and shoulder the additional burden of guilt that it gave him. Then her last question registered and he saw her restless agitation and sensed her anger and fear. Luke realised how very little Rey knew about the Force and how much they would have to face, address and build together. There were massive issues from their past that would have to be dealt with sooner or later, so he gathered his courage to attempt the beginning of a catharsis. "Rachel… what do you remember from… when we lost touch?"

She stopped pacing and stood very still, thinking. She'd thought about this many times over the years, but there was a fog obscuring her memories. "Rain. Fire. Someone hurt my arm." She said with certainty.

"Who hurt you?" He asked.

"I don't know. Someone tall. I was angry."

Head on one side in entreaty, Luke patted the seat she had vacated and, responding to his simple, sweet gesture, she began to calm. She returned to sit beside him and listened as, in faltering words, he told her about that awful time when everything began to go wrong with his training of Ben – leaving out, for now, any mention of Sami or Owen. Her eyes were full of empathy as he told her honestly of his guilt concerning Ben's Dark leanings. "The Dark is in all of us," he explained. "A Jedi has to be mindful of negative feelings. For some people, it's hard to shut out negativity. Those of us born with the Force's gifts have to recognise and manage our Dark traits: contain them and reach for the Light. Ben couldn't; the pull of the Dark was too strong and I couldn't help him."

She'd been listening attentively and, after a moment's pause, found a small smile. "Are you teaching me?" She asked. His left hand reached up to scratch his beard thoughtfully.

"I never got chance when you were a child. You were too young. Now, you're the same age I was when I started training. Yoda thought I was too old."

"Am I too old?" She questioned.

Luke tentatively reached out to her with the Force, communicating his pride and confidence in her. In return, she opened up, clumsily, and he felt the full force of her joy, uncertainty, determination and awe of him. He was humbled by his daughter's fierce, bright spirit and suddenly wanted to somehow ease their reservations and show her his humanity. He did something he had almost forgotten how to do. He took a risk.

"Too old? You're a crone," he muttered, then attempted the best eye-twinkle he could remember how to do. "Not a hope." He shook his head slowly.

Rey opened her mouth in a split second reaction of shock and disappointment before noticing that his eyes held a glint. Humour? She'd experienced so little of it herself that she was unsure. Searching his face and realising that he was gently teasing, she smiled at him. Then he smiled back – an expression that flooded his face in light and love.

"We'll be ok, won't we?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes," he continued to smile, "I think we will."


	4. Reunion

**Reunion**

 **Rey takes Luke down the steps to meet some old friends.**

They were beginning to talk a little more easily. She'd been telling him about her scavenging and how it had taught her such an intimate understanding of the workings of spacecraft. This had kept her alive and given her an interest in space travel and technology, which had got her and Finn off Jakku and had bonded her with Han. Luke gave her free rein to talk: he was delighted by her enthusiasm and proud of her resilience. How had she found such satisfaction and drive to learn from such a menial existence?

The pace of her talk slowed as she became aware of how hungry she was. "I can't remember when I last ate!" She exclaimed. "I'd better go back to the ship and get some food. Erm, what about you?"

"I'm not very hungry, but yes, we should eat." He replied. He went to a cupboard in the corner and began rummaging through it. He had a measure of pride and wanted to do something nice for her. In addition, he felt protective and didn't want to see her walking all that way down to her ship. He was reluctant to let her out of his sight after fifteen years apart. "You don't have to go back down there. I have food. Hold on; I've got some cheese."

"Where did you get cheese?" She asked in disbelief.

"I have my suppliers," he said, the twinkle back in his eyes.

"I thought you just ate grass," she said with a half-smile.

"Grass?" He shot her a glance over his shoulder and she burst into peals of laughter. He smiled at her.

"Serves you right for calling me a crone!" She giggled. He huffed and ground his teeth. Grass? What a comedian! He had a good feeling about this.

They settled for cheese, apples and some of his home-cooked flatbread, while he explained what had happened to his ship and how he had gained a regular supply of essentials. That made her feel better, knowing that the choice to leave, to continue the fight, to come looking for her, had been lost to him for many years.

After they'd eaten, she realised that she'd been up here for hours and felt a pang of guilt about the two she'd left down at the bottom of the steps with the Falcon. "Do you feel like going down the steps? I'd like to show you my ship," Rey smiled, wanting to surprise him with his two old friends.

"O-kay. I think. But you'll have to be patient. I only go down there every few weeks when my suppliers call. You'll be quicker than me."

Half way down the seemingly endless stone steps, Luke caught sight of the Millennium Falcon on the rocks at the bottom. He stopped, hands on hips, catching his breath, with a faraway look of sadness mixed with warm, vibrant memories. "Now I understand," he said, catching his breath. "I knew that engine when I heard it this morning. You came here in the Falcon. My life is catching up with me today."

Standing a few steps further down, Rey looked up at him. She walked back up the steps between them and put her hand on his arm, smiling at him so gleefully that he began to worry. "Come on!" She said. "I've got a surprise for you!"

It was hard waiting for him, though she was trying her best to be patient. She was so excited about seeing his reaction to Chewie and Artoo. Another couple of hundred steps down and they both heard a high-pitched arpeggio. Luke sucked in a surprised breath. "Come on!" Rey called excitedly, dancing down the last few steps.

Artoo came trundling down the Falcon's boarding ramp, whistling and squealing. Luke made it down the last step, watching his footing with blurred eyesight. He crouched down to talk to his old friend.

"Hey, little buddy! I missed you too!" He replied fondly to the droid's chatter. "I know, I know. No, I didn't mean to be this long. I'm sorry. Of course I am. How are you doing? Yes, you did the right thing. Thank you, Artoo."

At which point, Chewie came charging down the ramp, bellowing his own greeting to Luke. He wrapped the Jedi Master in a huge, furry hug. "Chewie! How are you, huh?" Luke mumbled through streamers of hair. The wookiee whined and rumbled at him. "I know, I felt it happen. I'm so sorry, Chewie. I know. We all loved him." They stepped apart and Luke wiped away his tears. He turned to Rey, heartbreak etched into his face. "I've missed these guys so much. And Leia. And Han. I've missed you all."

Rey took his hand and led him onto the Falcon. Luke felt transported back in time to another life – a life of warmth, family, friendship, love. He felt his fifteen years of exile weighing heavily on him as he walked through the familiar corridors.

"Are you alright?" Rey asked. They were walking through the main hold.

"Yeah. It's so strange. I know every inch of this ship," he told her, "and every flight, every moment I spent on here, with Han and Leia, Chewie, Lando, Ben – it's all in here." He tapped his head. "I can see them and hear them. I should have gone back when I could. Rachel, I'm sorry. I failed you."

"It's okay." She comforted him. "We're here now. It's not too late. We can go back and help."

They sat down. "Tell me what's going on out there." He asked her. She told him the whole story.

Luke listened without interrupting as Rey narrated the events of the last couple of weeks, from finding BB-8 right through to meeting Leia at the Resistance Base on D'Qar. When she'd finished, he questioned her for further details. He was devastated to learn that Han and Leia had grown apart and it was agony for him to hear about Han's doomed effort to reason with Ben and how the son had so brutally murdered his father. What a bitter pill to swallow: another grief to bear, piled on top of all of the others.

Luke was intrigued to learn about Maz and about Rey's vision when she'd touched the lightsabre.

"How did she come to have the sabre?" He wondered aloud. Rey couldn't answer him.

He was also fascinated when she told him that Artoo reactivated when Rey arrived at the Resistance Base. "I asked him to keep the map secret until he thought the time was right. A time when I was needed." He told her. "I didn't expect him to shut down altogether. Poor Artoo."

"He picked a good time to wake up and hand over the map," she responded, "though I wish he'd given it up sooner. Things might have been so different." Luke seemed stable at the moment – thoughtful, but steady. She needed to ask: "So, you didn't know where I was? All this time? How did I get to be on Jakku?"

"I don't know." He confessed. "Ben took you. The night he destroyed the Academy, he took you as a prize. I thought he would try to turn you or kill you. I always hoped Artoo would give up the map and someone might come and get me if they found you, and I feared the worst as time went on. I kept reaching out to you – for a long time, but I gave up. It got harder to feel you. It hurt too much."

"Why didn't you come and look for me?" She asked softly. "I always believed that someone was going to come back for me."

"Ah, Rachel. I'm so sorry. We didn't know where you were. Ben could have taken you anywhere. We didn't know where he'd gone or who his friends were. I wanted to come here, find the First Jedi Temple, and see if there was anything here that might help us against the Dark Side - help Ben. I didn't plan on being long, and Han and Leia were going to look for you. When I got here, I got side-tracked with searching the temple and I… I wasn't dealing with things well. I was in bad shape for a while."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "It doesn't matter now," she said. "I found you." He put his arm around her and rested his head against hers.

"You did, you wonderful girl. Thank you."

The sun showed its red face briefly, as the cloud mass cleared, before lowering down towards the western horizon. They decided against hiking back up the steps tonight, and so prepared beds in the crew's quarters on the Falcon. They continued to lie and chat, long after sundown, facing each other across the cabin. Chewie was snoring softly.

"You can call me Rey," she suggested. "I'd like you to. It's what I'm used to."

"Rey. Alright." He whispered, then said hesitantly: "What about me? Do you want to call me Dad?"

Rey fought back tears yet again and nodded. When she felt she could speak, she tested the name out. "Dad?"

"Yes, Rey?"

"Was there a Mom?"

There it was. The question he'd been dreading. Honesty now – he must be honest with her. There had to be total trust between them.

"Yes. There was. Her name was Sami. You are so much like her." He fought down his sorrow, expecting a hundred questions.

"She's dead?" Rey whispered. He nodded silently, not trusting his voice. "Will you tell me about her tomorrow?"

He swallowed, grateful to her and moved by her sensitivity. "Yes, I will. I'll tell you everything about her." He replied. That made up his mind. They would go back up to the cliff-top tomorrow and he would tell her about the rest of her family, and show her their resting place. Then everything would be out in the open. If she could forgive him this last revelation, he hoped he might be able to begin to live with himself more easily. He fell asleep wondering what that would feel like.


	5. Revelation

**Revelation**

 **Luke and Rey return to the heights of his island where he tells her of their lost family.**

Rey woke up feeling surprisingly rested. Luke's bunk was empty, as was Chewie's. She swung her legs out of bed, hopped down onto the floor and padded through the main corridor, following the enticing smell of something cooking. Walking down the boarding ramp, she was met by a breath-taking Ahch-To morning; a ragged patchwork sky of gold and blue stretched over her head.

Luke was sitting on a rock, tending a small campfire and carefully twisting a skewer full of slowly blackening fish. He smiled up at her. Rey was delighted. She'd never eaten fish and they smelled incredible.

"Where did you get those?" She asked. He burst into laughter and gestured at the ocean surrounding them. "Stop laughing! Did you catch them?"

"I've learned a few tricks since I've been here," he said, amusement wrinkling his eyes. She went to fetch some travel biscuits from the Falcon to go with the fish. Chewie joined them for an open air breakfast. The day brightened. It was fresh and lovely down there by the water; the faint spray of the waves scattered silvery-white speckles across the rocks. Rey was astonished by the sight of so much water. The movement, colour and sparkle enchanted her. Luke watched, enjoying her obvious pleasure at the watery environment. He knew a little about Jakku; it was a dry planet, much like Tatooine. He remembered all too well his own first impressions of other planets after leaving his desert home.

They cleared away the scraps and discussed what to do with the day. "I'm going to tell you about when you were little. We need to go back up there so we can talk."

"Alright," she responded. "Why up there? We could stay with the Falcon today. Go for a flight, maybe?"

"I'd like to, but not today. There's something you should see."

She shrugged. "Ok," and wondered what he was being so cagey about. They grabbed a few items from the Falcon's hold – maps and extra supplies. Chewie and Artoo agreed to stay with the ship.

"Those bunks are more comfortable than I remember. We'll come back, maybe tomorrow, and spend the night here again?" Luke suggested.

"Yeah," Rey smiled. "I love the water. And the fish!"

They took their time walking back up and stopped a few times to admire the views. Clear, sunny days were welcome on this wild, wet planet. Luke stopped now and then to point out different landmarks and tell her about some of the things he'd seen in his time here. Sheet lightning out at sea; huge sea creatures breaching; multitudes of birds migrating. She found it all fascinating.

They made it back to Luke's dwelling and went in to leave the supplies and items from the Falcon. After a drink and a rest, they went outside. The sun was still shining. She hadn't noticed yesterday that he had small fruit plants and flowers growing in pots in sheltered corners of the courtyard between the buildings.

The two of them sat on a wall. "So, this is the First Jedi Temple," she said. "It's old, isn't it? How old?"

"I'm not sure. Thousands of years. It was built early on by the founders of the Order." He told her. "It's one of the few Jedi places that was not destroyed by the Empire."

"It's amazing. Such a beautiful place."

"It is incredible," he agreed. Head on one side, he looked at her. She was struggling to read his expression but he obviously needed to get something off his mind. "I came here looking for anything that might help with Ben. I didn't find very much. You can see, most of these buildings are just shells now. No Jedi have lived here for long ages - except me. But although I didn't find answers, I did find healing. I was in a bad way, but as soon as I set foot here, I could feel the power of the Force. Can you feel it?"

"I think so," she replied, "though it's all really new to me. It feels strong here, but mysterious. Like there's something just out of sight or some music I can't quite hear."

He smiled, then that far distant look came into his face again. "You will learn to feel the power here," he said. "This is a very special place. You being here seems right, even in these circumstances. I can't believe we have this chance. I will wake up pinching myself forever. I'll never take for granted the unexpected gift that you are, even after all this time. Rey, after I felt stronger, I was planning on going back, but the ship let me down. So stupid! I should have had a contingency plan." He shook his head. "I've sunk further and further these last few years. I'd given up."

"But you're going to help me now, aren't you?" She asked. "You say I'm strong. I need you to show me the Force. You're the last Jedi. You have to pass the knowledge on."

"Of course I want to help you and teach you. So much," he assured her, with every shred of sincerity he owned. "But I'm afraid, too. I don't want to get it wrong. I don't want to provoke the Dark in you. It's so easy to fall into that trap. I failed with Ben."

"I won't turn," she said, steel in her voice. "I felt the Dark in Kylo. When he was questioning me and when we fought. It's eating him! He can't think straight or free himself of his doubts and anger."

"We all have doubts and anger," Luke said.

"Not like him. My mind is clear." She asserted. "I know what evil is and I want nothing to do with it. I will do what is right."

He nodded slowly, overflowing with pride once again. How had this young woman grown to be so true and so strong, without the love and support of her family, or of anyone at all for that matter? She was so much like Sami – brave, thoughtful, determined; apparently not plagued by frustration and impulse like the Skywalkers had always been.

"You are very much like your mother." He said. She looked at him, eager to learn about the mother she couldn't remember. He told her quietly about meeting Sami, falling in love, wrestling with his guilt for not following the Jedi Code, for allowing himself to develop feelings and form a relationship. "In the end, I thought our marriage would do more good than harm. The Jedi order was all but wiped out, with only me left. Han and Leia had Ben and it was a joy to find that he had the Force. I couldn't see what was wrong with marrying and maybe, in time, having children of our own who might be strong with the Force."

"I think you were right," Rey said. "Why should you be less of a Jedi because you have a wife and child?"

Luke was having a difficult time coming to the next bit. "The Code says that a Jedi can become confused, can fall into chaos if they form strong emotional attachments. Sami didn't have that effect on me at all, though. She made everything clearer. I was stronger because of her. In time, we were given a great blessing. A child."

Rey smiled. "Me." But he was looking at her with those expressive blue eyes, awash with heartache. Not me, she realised. "Tell me," she said, misgiving in her voice.

"Your brother." He replied, taking her hand.

Her head was spinning. Her brother. She looked at the flowers, bobbing at her from their nook by the wall. "Owen," she whispered. Luke stared at her in amazement.

"You remember him?"

"I… no, not really. I don't know. But that name has always been with me. Where is he?"

They were clasping hands. Luke dreaded telling her. How could he find the words? He carefully reached his thoughts out to her and felt that she was calm. She returned his touch, reassuring him, but it wasn't enough. His grief and his reservations overcame him and he bowed his head. "He is with your mother."

Rey gasped. She swallowed back a cry of shock. After a few moments, she asked: "Tell me what happened to them?"

"Everything comes back to my failure to keep Ben to the Light. If he hadn't turned, we would all still be together."

"What happened?" She repeated.

"It was the night the Academy was destroyed…" he began. He told her of the hooded figures, of the massacre of the young apprentices. He told her how he'd found her mother and brother lying dead in the rain. He almost opened up to let her see it, but changed his mind at the last moment. His urge to be honest with her could go too far. Some things were better kept to himself.

She wept. Despite her father's care, she was numb. Her own imagination painted images in her head of the full horror of that terrible night. "Did he kill them? Did my cousin murder them?" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"I don't know," Luke said truthfully. "If he didn't, then one of his friends did." The word 'friends' came out with a twist of irony. "He had you. They held sabres on us – Han and Leia and me. He let them do that and he took you away."

They embraced in shared distress. She radiated anger, heartbreak and frustration. He hugged her tightly until her swirling, dark emotions began to ease, and wiped away her tears with gentle fingers.

"I thought I'd never stop grieving. In truth, I don't think you ever do. I'm sorry that it's so fresh for you, Sweetheart. There's no way to shield you from the truth. I've had a long time to get used to it. I know it hurts, but don't be angry, Rey. It does you no good and will turn your heart Dark."

She nodded. "I know. I just need a minute to get through it. I saw him kill Han; it was awful. And I didn't even know he was my uncle, then. I hope I never find out that he killed my brother and mother too. I don't want to be angry, but that's a lot - that would be…" she paused, "a lot to try to be calm about."

He almost smiled at her understatement, but the moment was too raw. He wondered if she would find some comfort in what he was about to tell her.

"Rey? I brought them here with me. Afterwards."

"Here? Really?" She blinked. "Where are they?"

"Up where you found me yesterday. On the cliff-top." He told her.

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Will you take me to them?"

"Of course I will." He said.

They gathered themselves together and, hand in hand, steadily made their way up the well-trodden path to Luke's cliff-top.

Right on the brink, Rey saw the leaning grave marker. That moment when she had found her father, just the day before, stood out in her mind sharply. She stole a glance at him and felt his anguish, freshly sharpened by yesterday's shared sensations of his best friend's death. Her growing empathic link with him gave her a honed insight and, now, she could feel exactly how his emotions had been thrumming when she had first approached him. Little wonder he'd looked so distraught.

She walked on, right up to the grave, and stopped. Luke had let go of her hand and held back a few paces, allowing her a quiet space, and time to give her feelings their liberty, whilst staying close at hand in case she should need him. She looked down at the resting place of her mother and brother. How should she feel?

She was angry. Her face knotted as she tried to push her fury away, knowing that it would only lead to misery and Darkness, but she was still seething at Kylo. At the cruel fate that had not allowed her the opportunity to know and love two people who would have been, _should have been_ , beyond precious to her. She wanted to throw blame at someone. Kylo. Luke still called him Ben, but he was Kylo to her. A monster. She had lost the chance of a happy family and childhood because of his weak, pathetic inability to resist the lure of the Dark Side. And he had not been helped to reverse his downward spiral by the adults around him…

She looked back at her father in a moment's ire. He stood there, silent and motionless, watching her with a stricken expression. Her stomach lurched with that single glance at his anxious face. She turned away quickly, afraid that he would recognise her anger, her desire to lash out. Battling to still her mind and ease her heartsickness, she squeezed her eyes shut.

When she opened them again, she looked upwards. Her sight took in the sky, the clouds scudding carelessly across the blue expanse. She looked outwards to the horizon, and noticed the myriad rocky islets stabbing upwards from their saltwater roots. She looked down and saw the ocean currents weaving and swirling around the rocks at the tideline; a dizzying sweep of pitted, vertical cliff-face below her. She breathed deeply and absorbed the sharp, maritime tang of the crystalline air moving over and around and above her.

She let her senses unravel and spread; tendrils of need and hope, reaching out for absolution.

Long minutes passed and still she stayed at the edge. Luke stood his ground also, not daring to move. He knew that she understood how he felt and how he'd tried, and failed. He couldn't change that or make up to her what she had lost. He vowed to himself that he would be there for her from this day onwards. Whatever it took, whatever the sacrifice. He would never leave her again, as long as she wanted and needed him with her. But now, even in full knowledge of her history and the evils and mistakes of the past, he knew he must allow her these first moments to find her own peace.

Finally, she turned around to face him.

"I know why you chose this spot," she said, her voice trembling but her eyes clear. "This _is_ a special place. I understand why you stayed here."

He listened and he watched, afraid of what she might say next.

"I think I could heal here too." She sighed. Then she held her hands out to him. He came forward and took them in his own. They stood for a while in silent, shared communion. Then, as one, they walked arm in arm back down the path the way they'd come.


	6. Education

**Education**

 **Rey begins her training. The days pass quickly and she learns fast. Time on Ahch-To is limited and there is a lot to do.**

After that difficult morning, Luke felt that a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was worried about Rey's enmity towards Ben, which she was carefully trying to conceal. However, after her initial flash of resentment at her father for being unable to prevent Ben's fall, she had tapped into some well of serenity. Luke could sense no lingering blame aimed at him. He hoped that he had opened enough of himself to show her that he had done everything he could. Could she feel his profound regret for what had happened? She must have known that he would have given anything and everything to go back in time and find a solution before disaster had overtaken their family.

They spent the rest of that day just talking. It would take a long time to fill in all of the blanks of their 15 year separation, but Luke felt they were making a good start. He finally had his daughter back, safe and sound, and he had her forgiveness. She was dealing admirably with the impact of discovering that half of the family she'd never known had been dead and gone all this time. Sorrowful, but not bitter, the comfort of finding Luke gave her an aura of contentment she'd never owned in her life. She asked many questions, and he shared his memories openly with her. They laughed at his precious anecdotes about their family life. She learned a great deal about her Mom and Owen, their likes and dislikes, talents and quirks. Luke told her about her early years: her toddler antics, first words and favourite stories. It really helped her to be able to piece together a past she'd known nothing of until now.

In the following days and weeks, they began to divide their time between Luke's home up top and the Falcon down below. They went for long hikes, exploring the island, and sat for hours discussing the wars of thirty years ago and the Rebels' struggles against the Empire. He told her about the battles he'd been involved in and taught her about tactics and flight formations.

Slowly, carefully, step-by-step, he began to teach her everything he knew and had discovered about the Force. He tried to pass on his knowledge subtly, in quiet, indirect ways where she wouldn't even know he was training her. She was an intelligent and astute learner. It began to feel as if they'd known each other for lifetimes. They were becoming so comfortable together that they could easily read each-others' thoughts and they began to finish each-others' sentences. Some days, they hardly needed to speak aloud at all.

They would sit unmoving, feeling the energy lines of the planet and sensing the animate and inanimate around them. She began to judge the density of different substances and to discover how easily objects and creatures could be manipulated. She improved at communicating with Chewie from a distance, which was really useful, as she could give him and Artoo advance notice when they were planning to spend time down at the Falcon. Luke trained her in using her power to control objects around her, although her natural ability astounded him. On one of their first days of training, she thrilled him by calling her lightsabre to her hand without difficulty. She got better at moving things, starting with making pebbles rattle and irritating seabirds by distorting air currents around them. Down by the ocean, she began lifting Chewie and Artoo into the air a few inches, then setting them down again. She was beginning to feel quite pleased with herself. Sadly, this came to an abrupt end the day she tried to demonstrate to Luke how well she was getting on. She deftly lifted him a foot into the air. He was smiling his encouragement until she got overconfident, tried to translate him a few feet to the right and ended up dumping him clumsily into an unusually deep rock pool. That ended the lesson for that day.

Another day, they compared their lightsabres. Hers had a story, going back two generations, which he shared with her. She accepted that this sabre had a chequered past, but true to her nature, this only made her more determined to make it her own and to carve a path, hand in hand with this weapon that had come to her. She also took secret satisfaction from knowing how much Kylo wanted her sabre. Luke's sabre had been made by his own hands when he was a new Jedi Knight, and he was still rightly proud of it. "Even my father was impressed," he told her wryly. They practised combat arts and sabre moves, in all weathers, for hour after hour: move after move, form after form. She was keen to improve her fighting skills after what she felt had been a clumsy defence against Kylo.

"It sounds to me like you more than held your own," Luke consoled. "Ben was never my best sabre student. You will easily surpass him. You're not hoping for a re-match, are you?"

She didn't answer. He let it lie for now but remained concerned by her silence. She hadn't mentioned her cousin since that day when they'd stood together at the graveside.

There were odd moments when the shadow of Ben Solo stood imposingly between them but, on the whole, the days passed in a steady and fulfilled rhythm. Luke couldn't help but notice, time and time again, the similarities between his daughter and his memories of his wife. Rey had taken after her mother as a child, but as an adult, she looked so much like Sami they could have been twins. He was quietly glad, in a self-deprecating way, that all she seemed to have inherited from him was the Force.

But what an inheritance it was! He fell somewhere between impressed and awestruck by her power. She had no idea, yet, how strong she was. Luke wasn't sure that _he_ knew the full extent of her capabilities either and he was frustrated by his ignorance and inexperience at training padawans fully. His own training had not been thorough or extensive: begun by Obi-Wan and completed by Yoda. It had been a hasty business – interrupted by events of the war. Luke had worked hard in his time to educate himself: searching out old records, experimenting with techniques and meditating deeply on the nature of the Force. He wanted wholeheartedly to pass on everything he knew to his daughter but he couldn't shake a sense of inadequacy and a quiet fear that whatever he could teach her, it would not be enough.

He still wished Yoda, Obi-Wan or Anakin would make an appearance. It had been many, many years now since any of them had spoken to him. He wondered if there was something wrong with him, with them, or with the Force. Or perhaps this was some kind of test. That idea scared him most of all, having failed once before with such harrowing consequences. He struggled to recall everything that the Jedi Masters had taught him, and he shared his thoughts and experiences with Rey. Although she was young and untried, Luke had come to respect her strength and uncanny insight. They spoke often of Luke's days on Dagobah. He was embarrassed to confess to Rey his petulance and impatience at his failures under Yoda's tutelage, but she often saw the funny side of his stories. Her teasing and sense of fun brought him out of himself when his mood threatened to turn dark and helped him to be more forgiving and tolerant of his past mistakes.

"Dad, you judge yourself too harshly," she would scold. "You are human. None of us are perfect. Not even the great Master Skywalker."

He gave her a look of chagrin. "Rey, I should have been – not perfect, but so much better than I was. I was the last. I had responsibilities."

"And you carried them out with heart and diligence. You built a new school up from scratch. You put everything into it - more than any mere mortal could be expected to, and it wasn't your fault that it didn't work out. You can't keep kicking yourself _forever_. Don't you think fifteen years is long enough?"

He thought long and hard about her words. Blaming himself had become a way of life; guilt had come to define him over these years of his exile. What had it achieved, other than leaving him weak and incapacitated on this rock at the back end of the galaxy? As difficult as he found the idea of returning to an active, useful role with the Resistance, he knew that the time had come. He had to step up and do his part, and he couldn't do that if he was still punishing himself with self-doubts and remorse.

From that day, his attitude changed subtly. Rey began to notice less frowns and more smiles. Her father's attitude became more positive and resolute. He was a little less inclined to dwell on his weaknesses and more purposeful in his advice to her. The time he spent on his own drills and exercises increased and his physical fitness began to improve. They spent long hours out of doors and Rey became totally captivated by the beautiful island. Even more than this, however, she was quietly elated to witness the slow, steadfast recovery of this incredible man who was her father.

He began to show her the many cells and chambers of the old Temple, and the few aged and insignificant relics he'd found among the ruins. The strange buildings were peaceful and atmospheric, with indescribably beautiful views of the ocean and islands. Rey liked the old Temple immensely. She was amazed at the stillness she could find within herself just by sitting in one of the old cells and contemplating her place in the cosmos. It felt completely right to her that the earliest Jedi had built a temple at this magical location.

On odd days, she would go climbing around the cliff-faces. She usually did this at dawn, before her father was awake. This was after he had given his opinion on her climbing, the first time he caught her doing it: "Rey, for pity's sake! I know how brilliant you are at climbing but it's a three hundred foot one way slide if you fall from there!"

"I'm fine!" She called back cheerily, with total confidence in her ability. Of course, Luke had never seen her swinging high up in the carcass of an old Imperial star destroyer. He was forced to walk away, unable to watch, but equally unable to forbid his adult offspring from doing something she'd clearly been doing very well - without his blessing – for most of her life.

One day, they took the Falcon for a test flight. Rey showed Luke her uncanny skill at flying the old freighter. Luke took a turn, throwing the ship into spirals and loops. It had been so long; he'd forgotten how much he loved flying. He whooped like a teenager at having free reign to pilot the Falcon, for the first time in his life, without Han frowning over his shoulder and patronising him. A hunk of junk she might have been, but the old ship could certainly move! Rey laughed at his exuberance. "Enjoy yourself! I know how Han was. I could hear him grinding his teeth at me too. He had to be the boss, didn't he? I showed him though! I don't know why I know this ship so well. Must be all my years of scavenging."

"I think it's more than that," Luke replied. "You probably picked up more than you realised when Han used to sneak you on here as a tot, when he thought Mommy and Leia weren't looking!" Chewie yodelled his agreement. Rey smiled wistfully, wishing she could remember even the smallest snippets from her earliest years.

Shaking off her melancholy, she brightly said: "You're a great pilot!" She had come to love his endearing habit of tilting his head to one side when he was thoughtful.

"I wasn't bad. I destroyed the original Death Star." He shrugged with modesty. "We lost a lot of good pilots that day. We were using computers to sight the target, but I heard Obi-Wan telling me to use the Force, so I did. It worked." She felt so proud, not having fully realised what a hero he had been.

Later in the summer, he taught her to fish; down on the rocks, using a rod and net. She was as brilliantly instinctive about this as about everything else. A natural talent. They had competitions for fun and she was soon netting far more than he could catch. One morning, he emerged from the Falcon to see her bringing in a good catch without any tackle: she was using the Force to locate and raise the fish from the ocean. They had a huge, succulent crab for breakfast as well that day, brought up from the sea-bed by Rey. She grinned and made constant references to her fishing expertise for the rest of the day. Luke thought he might begin to go off seafood.

It was summer, and as warm as these islands ever got. They spent nights in the open, rolled in blankets, up on the heights. She cuddled up close and they shared warmth. He pointed out the constellations of this system. She counted meteorites burning up in the atmosphere and they saw nocturnal creatures fly over, softly illuminated in the amber glow of their campfire. She slept the solid, peaceful sleep of the young. Many nights, his shoulder would stiffen and ache from lack of movement as she pillowed her head against his chest; but he meditated to block out the pain, kissed the crown of her head and left her to sleep on undisturbed. He was so grateful to be here with her, right now: protecting and comforting his girl. The months were ticking on and he knew they would have to leave this idyll soon. Late Autumn would bring the storms and they must move the Falcon away from the gales and high tides before the bad weather set in. He didn't want to risk stranding themselves by losing another ship.


	7. Decision

**Decision**

 **Life has settled into a comfortable pattern, but the days shorten and the weather cools. Autumn has come and the time for leaving Ahch-To is fast approaching.**

"It's blowing out there today!" Rey called, walking up the ramp and pushing the button to close the Falcon's door. Luke knew it. He could feel the freshening wind buffeting the ship.

"Come and give me a hand with this circuit?" She came and took the screw driver off him. "It's storm season. There's a big one coming in, can you feel it? It's a couple of days away yet but it's going to be savage."

"Yeah, I feel it." She agreed. "It will make life very unpleasant for a while."

"It's time for us to leave, Sweetheart. We need to be gone before the storm arrives. We can't afford to risk any damage to the Falcon." He walked a few steps away and stood looking back at her. She had learned to read that expression: he wanted to talk.

"I'll get Chewie to finish this," she said. "Let's have some tea."

They made a drink and sat down. Rey had been trying not to think about leaving this place. Now that the subject had come up, she felt sad, but a little guilty as well. "I've been gone a long time. It's been months. I wonder how everything's going with the Resistance."

"Leia knows that we needed this time. She has everything under control." He'd been sensing more regular, subtle probes from his sister in recent months. For years and years, he'd gently turned her away, but since Rey's arrival, he had sent love, comfort and encouraging hints of progress back to her. She responded with affection and hope.

"Have you been communicating with her?" Rey asked him.

"A little," he replied. "Just feelings. How about you?"

"Yes, I feel her. She's curious and I think she's starting to want us back now. Aunt Leia! She didn't tell me - back at the Base on D'Qar. I'm sure now that she knew me but she didn't say anything."

"She probably felt that we needed to make our own introductions," he smiled. "I feel terrible. I've shut her out all of these years. I shut myself off from everyone and everything."

"She understands. You needed time to regroup. Everything was such a mess, wasn't it?"

"Yes," he agreed, "but you've helped me more in these few months than all my years of brooding did. You've given me a new hope, Rey. How do you feel about going back? It will be difficult."

"I want to see Leia again, and Finn, and the others. I know it's going to be hard, but we have to make a start. Knocking out the Starkiller was a great victory for us, and once people know that you're back, they will rally to our cause. I think a lot of people believed you were dead, or just a myth. We will become stronger with you as our leader."

He smiled, not wanting to disillusion her, but thinking how ill-suited he was to lead. He knew that people would rally to Rey Skywalker more than to Luke. She was the brightest hope for the galaxy with her youth, power, courage and skill. She would be the beacon of the Resistance and he would quietly support and advise.

He sighed, decision made. "We need to leave. The day after tomorrow, in the morning, before the storm hits. Let's get working on final checks."

They spent the rest of that day preparing the Falcon. Everything seemed in order and Chewie was confident that the Hyperdrive was fully operational. They took the ship for a test flight across to the island where Luke's suppliers lived. He and Rey were thrilled to see the village and its inhabitants flourishing. Luke shook hands warmly with the elders and thanked them for looking after him. They were sad to know that he was leaving and wished him and Rey well. Chewie and Artoo stayed on the Falcon, not wanting to cause any alarm or be mistaken for deities!

That evening, they made the climb up to the old Temple for the last time, having decided to spend a final night there. Tomorrow night, they would sleep in the Falcon, ready for an early departure. It didn't take long to pack up their belongings ready for the morning. Then Rey wanted to say goodbye to Sami and Owen and scatter the last of her father's flower petals over their resting place; and some seeds too.

"Here's to new beginnings," she sighed, Luke's arm around her shoulders. "We have to put things right. For them. For everyone. We have to try."

He looked at her meaningfully and said: "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," she answered him with a smile.

A calm morning greeted their last day as they gathered their things together. Luke felt a stab of anxiety at leaving his home of fifteen years. He put out his hand and leaned against one of his tally-scored walls. How would it be to see different places after all this time? To be in company again? What would old friends think of his long absence? How many people had he let down?

Rey came up behind him, sensing his despondency. She snaked an arm around his waist and laid her head on his back. "Dad. It will be alright. They will be so glad to have you back. Leia knows we're coming. She's desperate to see you again."

"I know," he replied, "and I want to see her. I'm just not used to people. It will take some time to adjust. Ahch-To is so quiet but I'm going to miss this place; it saved my life. It's hard to leave this behind. You know, I have a feeling I won't ever come back."

"Let's make ourselves a promise that we will," she said. "We will bring Leia. She'll love it here." He nodded his agreement, although he felt an inner certainty that this was the last time he would see this planet.

They made the long walk down the steps to the Falcon and stowed their packs in the cabin. They talked and fished the rest of the day away. Luke actually caught more than his daughter this time which they both found amusingly ironic. Finally, they watched the sun set for a final time, trailing a path of golden fire across the waves in farewell.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Luke was disturbed by the sensation of the wind picking up. He came fully awake in the darkness and listened for a moment to the blustering gale growing louder. Quickly, he roused Rey and Chewie and they headed blearily for the cockpit. The ship's instruments told them that the storm was rising – fast. The time for departure had arrived and they needed to make it a quick one before the weather worsened.

Rey and Chewie were piloting as Luke watched uneasily. Rubbing her eyes, Rey scanned the controls and began the engine start-up sequence. Despite his nerves, Luke was impressed once again by his daughter's ability in handling the ship. This was why he'd stood aside to let her and Chewie fly. She was gaining in confidence daily. Successfully handling the Falcon, in these difficult conditions, would help to confirm to Rey her own capabilities. The two pilots began lift-off protocols. Chewie was whining intermittently. As the ship inched its way skyward and the landing feet began to retract, a rogue squall caught the Falcon and blew it towards the cliff-face, metal clipping rock with an audible crunch. Luke winced. An alarm sounded in the cockpit. "Artoo! What's happening?" He called. Artoo engaged his data probe with the Falcon's computer and whistled a response. "Dammit!" Luke blurted. "We've got a damaged heat shield."

"We need to get out of here!" Rey called to him over her shoulder. "These gusts are treacherous!" Chewy proclaimed his distress with a long, pitiful cry. Rey used the Force, trying to still the air around the falcon and cushion the ship from further impact damage.

Focussing on a solution to overcome his alarm, Luke shouted: "Artoo, there are asteroids in this system, aren't there? We can't risk trying to enter an atmosphere with a damaged heat shield." Artoo replied positively, so Rey wasted no further time in completing their take-off. The storm's temper kindly eased for a few minutes to allow a smooth ascent and they rose safely above the troposphere and out into orbit.

Artoo showed them the star-map that guided them to the asteroid belt, out beyond the fifth planet. Luke had heard many times about Han and Leia's narrow escape from a gigantic space slug - burrowed into a tunnel in an asteroid - when they were escaping from the Empire's invasion of the Rebel Base on Hoth. They'd ended up landing in the belly of the creature and had only escaped by a whisker, between the beast's teeth. That had been… thirty years ago and more? A long time ago…

With fingers crossed for luck, they found a suitably stable asteroid to land on and make their repairs. Luke and Rey donned suits and went out to replace the heat shield. They would now be safe to re-enter any planet's atmosphere without burning into oblivion. They took off and Rey set the co-ordinates for D'Qar. "Punch it, Chewie!" The wookiee made the jump to lightspeed without a hitch. The Falcon's hyperdrive was behaving itself today.

 _Goodbye Ahch-To,_ __Luke thought to himself as the distant pinprick planet of his refuge disappeared from view. He could sense Leia strongly now. She was counting the hours down until she saw her brother and niece again.

The flight passed uneventfully. Before they knew it, they were entering D'Qar's atmosphere and making their final descent. The Base looked quiet – all the Resistance ships were gone. "Sensible. They've moved to a new location," Luke spoke his thoughts aloud. As the Falcon made a circuit around the landing strip, he noticed a lone individual, draped in a long blue robe, standing unmoving below them.

The Falcon touched down seamlessly and the occupants made their way down the ramp to greet the patiently waiting figure.

Luke looked into the brimming eyes and radiant face of his twin sister. Their minds were open to each other, communicating their devotion, reflection and shared optimism as they embraced. A heartbeat behind, Rey threw her arms around her father and aunt. The three Skywalkers were surrounded and suffused with love.

"Welcome home," Leia whispered to them both.


End file.
